Energy MEPs back more energy-efficient buildings

Members of the European Parliament on the Energy Committee recently backed proposals that should see all buildings constructed in Eruope after 2018 having to produce their own energy. The plans relate to proposed changes to the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

MEPs on the committee want VAT reductions to be available for materials that will help insulate buildings. They also want an Energy Efficiency Fund set up to support private and public investment in buildings. Increasing people's awareness of how to save energy and tips on energy saving could also be available on a common website.

The report by Romanian Socialist Member Silvia-Adriana Ticau wants solar panels and heat pumps used to ensure that buildings can produce their own energy. She also wants national targets set and the European Commission to establish a Europe-wide definition of 'zero energy buildings'.

The Energy Committee also wants the European Commission to establish a common methodology for calculating the energy performance of buildings by March 31, 2010. It is hoped that the changes in the directive will lead to a five per cent reduction in energy consumption across the EU and a similar fall in CO2 emissions within just over a decade.